Geography
Back to Morra Morra The Island Morra is filled with many different terrains. Fertile valleys, towering forests, swamplands, a wild sea and ever-changing desert. The seas around Morra are known to be horrific, hurricanes can build rapidly from the stillest waters, and what lies beyond is a great mystery. The island's watery heart is the Sea of Iveen, which can be even more treacherous than the oceans surrounding Morra. The longest river is the Annwyn River, which can be found in Sorlamir, and flows from the Iron Shoulder Mountains and fills the Sea of Iveen. The most dominate mountain range is the Iron Shoulder Mountains; the island's highest peak at 10,000 feet. Morra is blessed with moderate summers and winters. There is plenty of rain, far too much in the west which creates bog land, with almost no rain in the northeast, where the hottest temperatures are recorded. The Morran wilderness is home to numerous barbarian nations. They support themselves by hunting and gathering, and generally migrate with the herds as they move with the seasons. There are three declared kingdoms on the continent of Morra and all of them are based around a feudal government. They are the Kingdom of Rein, the Meltarran Kingdom and the Kingdom of Sor'lamir. Rein was the first of the three to be founded and is the most populated. The Kingdom of Rein encompasses the southern end of Morra and is bordered on its west side by a vast swamp and bogland known as the Murkwood. Over the mesas of the Iron Shoulder Mountains to the northeast of the Kingdom of Rein is the Meltarran Kingdom, the largest of the three, but also the most unsettled. The Meltarran Kingdom encompasses a vast region of plains and low-lying hills that are thick with the oldest forest of Morra, which the Meltarran people refer to simply as the Great Meltarran Forest. The Meltarran Kingdom is bordered on its eastern end by the ocean, and its western end by the Sea of Iveen. To the north, the plains give way to the sandy dunes of the Dekonik Desert. Across the Sea of Iveen, bordering the northern edge of the Kingdom of Rein, is the youngest of the three kingdoms, the Kingdom of Sorlamir. The Kingdom of Sor'lamir is forested with a mix of aspen and evergreens that spread over the hilly and rugged terrain. The kingdom itself is surrounded on three sides by the Iron Shoulder Mountains and the land within is kept fertile by the swiftly flowing Annwyn River that makes its way down from the shoulder to the Sea of Iveen. The Sea of Iveen The Sea of Iveen forms the natural border between the Kingdom of Sorlamir and the Meltarran Kingdom. The vast sea is the largest land-locked body of water on the continent of Morra. The waters near the Sorlamirian port city of Calimoore are heavily patrolled by Calimoorian Warships, a necessity to fight of numerous pirate brigands. Out on the sea, Gissour's Pointe acts as a middle ground for commerce. The Meltarran Kingdom Said to be the first woods created by the gods two thousand years ago, the Great Meltarran Forest is perhaps the most beautiful and mystical place of Morra. Some of the ancient oaks and redwoods tower more than a thousand feet from the forest floor which is intensely overgrown with lesser foliage. Expeditions into the Great Meltarran Forest have reported an assortment of strange wonders, and a few such adventurers tell of having seen Fae creatures in the ancient woods. The Great Meltarran Forest also holds the largest population of Arkanni still living on Morra. The western edge of the Meltarran Kingdom is bordered by the calm waters of the Sea of Iveen. The second largest Meltarran settlement, Port Anders, can be found here. The port city supports the Meltarran Navy as well as a great deal of export trade to the Kingdom of Sorlamir. The city is ruled by powerful guilds, which control nearly all Meltarran activities in the region with their own strict vendetta laws. Beyond the port city can be found several small farming villages which are worked by land-owning freemen. Lacking the immense forests and green plains of the rest of the Meltarran Kingdom, its northern region gives way to what is known as the Meltarran Hotlands. Few travelers brave the desert conditions and scorching heat of the hotlands. Water and wild life are scarce here, as the barren lands are unable to sustain life or provide a natural habitat for anything other than reptiles and insects, both of which are very common here. The hotlands are also the only place on Morra where Meltarran Dragons can be found. While not the flying, fire-breathing dragons of myth, Meltarran Dragons have been known to reach more than twenty feet in length. The coastal edge of eastern Meltarra is a powerful display of the forces of nature. Cliffs, some more than a thousand feet high, plummet to the churning waters of the ocean below them. Patches of thick forest dot the Meltarran plains and this region is home to the Royal City of Crenshire as well as the Meltarran Crown. The Royal City boasts a strong trade route to the Kingdom of Rein via ships that sail south along the coast. Art and literacy within the Royal City have reached a high point over the last 100 years. The work of Meltarran artists and poets is highly demanded throughout the freelands of Morra. The southern region of the Meltarran Kingdom is largely unsettled as it is dominated by the Great Meltarran Forest. Fort Meegan lies at the northern edge of the great forest and was founded as an outpost to protect the Meltarran people from the dangers of the unknown. For most, their only view of the Great Meltarran Forest comes from the decks of Meltarran trade ships as they pass around the southern edge of the kingdom en route to the Kingdom of Rein. The Kingdom of Rein It is the place where the wicked go to hide. The Murkwood is a dark and dangerous region of swamps and boglands located along the western coast of Morra. Dripping cypress trees grow impossibly thick from the shallow waters and the swamp is alive with natural and unnatural predators. Crocodiles can be found in virtually any section of the Murkwood and Pyglin and Kish tribes fiercely guard their own territories from intruders. Somewhere deep in the heart of the Murkwood lies Kokuathu's Tower. Not a man-made tower and currently occupied by the Demon himself, this massive rise of natural stone is viewed as a place of great power to the Pyglin and Kish tribes. They have built their largest stronghold, Ikarnum at its base. Western Rein is a natural wetland giving way to stretches of bog and swamp the further one travels toward the Murkwood. The plains are dotted with numerous shallow lakes and this region of Morra sees the seasonal migration of water fowl from the Kingdom of Sorlamir. Travel through western Rein is difficult, though among the wetlands are stretches of fertile plains that provide the kingdom with ample farmland. Among the small villages that harvest the land is Jonga Town. Bordering the edge of the Murkwood, Jonga Town is tolerant of any peaceful visitor and on very rare occasions Pyglin traders will crawl out of the swamp to trade supplies for rare herbs and natural treasures from the Murkwood. The impressive Iron Shoulder Mountains stretch across northern Rein, providing a natural border between the Kingdom of Rein and the Kingdom of Sorlamir. Conifers can begin to be seen amongst the evergreens of the Reinic forests the further north one travels, and boulder fields are present at the base of the cliff-like mountains. Fort Arwain holds the primary point of defense for Northern Rein. This military fort lies not far from the Sorlamirian border. Forested hills and swiftly flowing rivers sweep down from the Iron Shoulder Mountains that border eastern Rein. Relatively unpopulated, this region of the kingdom is majestic and peaceful with great valleys, thriving forests and ample wildlife. Of the few Reinic settlements that can be found within eastern Rein, only the Village of Barnwell offers lodging to those who are traveling through the region. The village always welcomes travelers who bring news and stories from the west. The southern region of the Kingdom of Rein is dominated by dense evergreen forests, lush green grasses and low hills. Southern Rein supports the bulk of the Reinic population from two major cities; The Royal City of Rein and Port Redwater. The Royal City is home to King Moldain III, a number of Noble Houses, as well as the Reinic Council of Sorcerers. Port Redwater is the largest sea port of Morra and offers the protection of the impressive Reinic Navy. The majority of the forest land within southern Rein is considered free woods, where any commoner can hunt to supply the needs of his family. The Royal Forest (located immediately around the Royal City of Rein) is patrolled by Royal Foresters who protect the wildlife within the King's Woods and dispense immediate and often severe punishments to poachers. The Kingdom of Sorlamir Filling most of the Kingdom of Sor'lamir with its beauty, the Kanderic Forest is a mixed forest dominated by color-changing aspens and bushy evergreens. Many of those from the Kingdom of Rein, and the Meltarran Kingdom make the long journey to Sor'lamir to witness the changing of the leaves and partake in the autumn festivals. Heavily forested with aspens and pines, the western region of the Kingdom of Sor'lamir is deceptively beautiful, though it is also extremely dangerous, being inhabited by many wandering tribes of Sor'lamir natives, as well as Kish war bands. There are still many surprises to be found within the mountainous region, as much remains unexplored. The biggest settlement within Leketteshire is the village of Lekette. Kemlyshire is home to Fort Kemly, the main garrison to the mightiest fighting force in all of the realm, the Tol Legion. Many Kish and Kokuthuans strike from the Iron Shoulder Mountains separating Sor'lamir and the Murkwood, and these elite soldiers act is the southern shield for the kingdom, allowing trade to flow with the Kingdom of Rein. Nested somewhere high within the crags is the old mining town known as Purgatory. Inhabited by Sor'lamirian and Kish, Purgatory hosts the largest known black market in all three settled kingdoms. Torinshire, aptly named for The Royal City of Torin that sits upon the northern mesas of the Iron Shoulder Mountains, the largest of all the settlements within the Kingdom of Sor'lamir. It is a center point for several major trade routes, and is the heart of the Agrielan faith. The northern reaches are rich with silver ore, but apart from Torin, there are only small mining towns to dot the harsh mountains. For those living within these small settlements life can be simple, cruel and unforgiving. In eastern Sor'lamir in the Evanshire, a lush and thriving forest fills the Annwyn River Valley. The Annwyn River is the longest river in the kingdom, and is navigable all the way to the port city of Calimoore. The land surrounding is rich in soil, amble for farmland, and so it grows some of the finest crops in all of Morra, which occasionally stirs jealousy from the Kingdom of Rein. The Tollgate is a major outpost that separates Torinshire and Evanshire. The Dekonik Desert Beyond the hotlands of northern Meltarra lies the treacherous Dekonic Desert. Miles upon miles of rolling sand dunes and lakes of silt have piled up along the Iron Shoulder Mountains to create a place where few would ever want to go, and fewer still can say they've ever been. This desolate region of Morra is rumored to be the original homeland of one of the ancient civilizations that predates mankind's appearance on the skin of Morra, though it is said that the Tzyskan people have long since burrowed deep into the heart of the world. Not only do those traveling through the desert face the unyielding sun and dehydration during the day, but also the massive flying insects that burrow up from the sands at night to search the great dunes for food.